Lucknow July 7 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government has slapped stringent charges under the National Security Act against 88 alleged gangsters in past one week in a drive launched against criminals in the wake of the Kanpur encounter in which eight policemen were killed.

In a campaign launched against criminals in the past one week, the NSA has been invoked against 88 people in 67 cases, Additional Chief Secretary-cum- Principal Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said on Tuesday.

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He said the NSA was invoked this year in 120 cases of which 63 were related to cow slaughter, three of crimes against women and 13 of other heinous crime.

Stating that strict action has been taken under the Gangsters Act in the past one week, Awasthi said a total of 197 cases have been approved by respective district magistrates.

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From January till now, 1,889 cases were registered under the Gangsters Act in the state, he said, adding the property worth Rs 26 crores has been attached this week under the Act.

A total of 127 arms licenses have also been suspended in the past week, he added.

Meanwhile, a sum of Rs 6.5 crores has been realised as fine from the people for violating various anti-COVID protocol of not wearing masks, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)